Time-Lapse of a Portrait of Brett

WORKING THROUGH SPACE

This time-lapse is an excellent way to show how I sometimes work through space, from back to front. The problem solved is that working from a photo reference is more complicated than working from life. Working live we can see in 3D and move our focus around, this is not available with a photo and the result in paint is usually flat and 2D. One work-around I use is to start painting the area that is the deepest in space, the furthest away from me, and then gradually paint one step closer until I arrive at the closest point. When it is done this way the result is a kind of kinetic energy that you can sense and it gives a kind of winking vibration–those optically nudges that are tweaking your eyes spatial acuity.

Frame of References:

Lundgren, Alvalyn. How To Show 3D Volume in 2D Space Using Spatial Devices. This video is a very good conceptual approach to spatial depth, she uses her computer and manipulates circles and squares to show you how it works in theory, but she doesn’t use a painting. https://youtu.be/vO_kX_r2efA

Waichulis, Anthony. 5 Tips to Achieve Spatial Depth In Your Drawings, https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-mediums/drawing/five-tips-to-achieve-spatial-depth/

Newberry, Michael. Transparency – A Key to Spatial Depth in Painting Part 1, Black/White, https://michaelnewberry.com/2016/11/12/transparency-a-key-to-spatial-depth-in-painting/

Newberry, Michael. Ep. 1 SPATIAL DEPTH, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BMvk2rMPA0